Crib shortening, cover-holding device, and baby anchor



Nov. 24, 1953 w, McG NN| 2,659,904

CRIB SHORTENING, COVER-HOLDING DEVICE, AND EASY ANCHOR Filed May 5, 1949 Patented Nov. 24, 1953 CRIB SHORTENING, COVER-HOLDING DEVICE, AND BABY ANCHOR Walter McGinnis, Alhambra, Calif.

Application May 5, 1949, Serial No. 91,516

3 Claims.

This invention is a crib shortener of the general type shown in my application filed June 13, 1947, Serial No. 754,331, now abandoned.

The main objective of this invention is to practically eliminate the hazard that an infant will Work its way under the crib covers to such a degree that the infant will be smothered, the invention further aims to provide means effective to prevent the infant from working itself into a position out from the covers With risk of becoming cold.

By actual use of this invention it has been discovered that a good sleeping habit is quickly developed when a crib is supplied with device of the instant invention; the infant being allowed a reasonable degree of tossing freedom to effect contentment and at the same time being made safe.

The invention resides in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and has, with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed, and whose constructions and details and the manner of operation will be made manifest in the following description of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations, adaptations and equivalents may be resorted to within the scope, spirit and principles of the invention as it is claimed in conclusion hereof.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a portion of a crib showing the clamp board in place. Fig. 2 is a top edge plan view of one end of the clamp board and its clamp. Fig. 3 is a top edge view of a Wedge washer and a supplemental washer.

There is here shown a baby crib having conventional side pickets P, which in various cribs may much differ in cross-dimensions.

It is a great desideratum to have a safety, baby-sleeping device which may be readily applied to a crib at a desired distance from its head by easy attachment to opposite pickets P of a pair and be securely, frictionally kept in its applied position by friction clamps of such construction and assembly that they may be readily adjusted to frictionally fit onto pickets of sizes within their ordinary range of size differences; the said clamps, after having been initially adjusted for given size pickets of a crib, being adapted to be instantly and effectively set at the desired position across the crib and operative to reliably grip the respective pickets without need of further adjustment or attention.

On one face of the substantial cross board 2 comprising the main element of the shortener and at each end thereof there is arranged a clamp spring [6 the inner end of which isadapted to lie flat against the adjacent face of the board and well back from the end edge thereof so that the outer end portion of the spring I6 can be straddled across the respective picket, Fig. 1, This straddling end of the spring is preferably provided with a rubber-like or friction pad H and the middle portion of the spring is outwardly bent at l6b to give the padded end thereof a normal set position substantially parallel to the longitudinal plane of the basal, inner end.

The basal end of the clamp spring is fastened to the board 2 as by suitable wing-nut bolts B and the assembled spring and board make an outwardly opening fork which greatly facilitates straddling the ends of the board into position on a selected pair of the pickets.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a simple means for the ready adjustment of the throat of the clamp spring I6 as to the board to render the clam effective on. different sizes of pickets of different cribs, and to that purpose there is shown in Fig. 3 a thin;

wedge l8 perforated to receive the said bolts. If it is desired to increase the throat distance be-- tween the pad I! and the relative end of the: board 2 the Wedge I8 is laid with its thickest; end outward beneath the basal end of the spring and the bolts are applied and tightened to fasten the assembled parts. Conversely if the throat is to be lessened then the wedge is laid with its thinner end outwardly under the spring. One or more washers l9 may be used if further throat variation is needed. The outer end of the spring l6 reaches beyond the respective end of the board and aids in slipping the shortener board onto supporting pickets. In any of its attached positions on the board the clamp spring because of its inherent flexibility provides great range of effective gripping on various sizes of pickets; it being a purpose of the invention to employ spring stock of such quality and dimensions and temper to accomplish good grip on pickets within the average range of sizes.

The applied shortening board will effectively prevent a baby from working its way straight down below bed covers. Combined with the board 2 is a baby harness strap s which has fixed to one end an anchor block A so that the strap is held against pulling out of place from under the holding board.

When the baby does not have the habit of working out of its covers the anchor need not be employed, but if used the block is placed on the bed at the desired location, the blanket or other covering is laid over the baby and then the protecting board is forked onto a picket on the far side of the crib and then angled down on the inside of the near side picket, of a selected pair according to the length of the baby and finally pressed with desired holding pressure onto the covering and in a position between the feet of the baby and the :foot spaced ancher block. The baby {thus permitted plenty of tossing freedom but cannot creep up from the covering or work its way dangerously down under the cover mg.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a baby crib having side pickets, of a bed cover retaining and baby habit-forming device including a holdingdown piece for arrangement across me'eribeeveraana clamp members fastened on one side, and on opposite ends, of said piece and having resilient limbs laterally spacedfrom and outwardly overhanging the :respective ends of i's'aid piece; said clamp members each "being readily applied to :and detached from a picket at a re's'pectiv side of the crib and including longitudinally tapered, end-.for-end reversible washer interposed .be-

4 tween each clamp member and an end of said piece whereby to provide for various degrees of lateral adjustment of the respective clamp limbs, as to said piece.

2. The combination of claim 1; and supplementary washers interposed between said tapered washers and the piece for further spacing of the said limbs from the said piece.

:3. A deviceofthe class set'forth'and including a holding board fhaving clamp m'efa'ns attachable to pickets of a crib and a harness strap having an anchor block engageable with and prevented by the applied board against pulling in one directioii awa from the board.

WALTER MCGINNIS.

i'zfereii s Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

